Ant powder near to ponds

[GFM]

We've had a lot of grief with ants around and even in the house in recent years. As such I'm forever using the common white ant powders that you can buy everywhere. However I've now found a large ants nest at the side of my small wildlife pond. I will eventually dig it out as its too near to the house, but if I put ant powder on the remains some might get intot the pond, does ant powder, as I suspect pollute the pond/kill sticklebacks/tadpoles/frogs/newts etc?

[Moonmoth]

If you dont want to pollute everything you could always use a kettle of boiling water . If you want to keep your Amphibians I would stay away from Ant powder all together as I am pretty sure that they wouldn't say no to a passing ant if they were hungry . I find that the green woodpeckers find nosing around in the antnest's a great meal and are highly entertaining to watch .

[healfdan]

GFM

Continue to control the ants close to the house if they bother you but leave the nest close to the pond. Ants eggs are appreciated by most fish and you will have a regular supply, for a while at least. Never a good idea to use any chemical close to ponds, lakes or rivers unless it is designed and approved specifically for aquatic use.

Healfdan

[Jim Ford]

Once they find their way into your house, they leave a scent trail for the others in the nest to follow. To destroy the scent trail, sprinkle a little bicarbonate of soda on it. If you then give them something to divert their interest by leaving a nearly finished jar of jam on its side near the nest they shouldn't bother you.
I find this works well and doesn't destroy important insects in the garden.

So what's the problem with an ants' nest near the pond?

Jim

[hachidori]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Once they find their way into your house, they leave a scent trail for the others in the nest to follow. To destroy the scent trail, sprinkle a little bicarbonate of soda on it. If you then give them something to divert their interest by leaving a nearly finished jar of jam on its side near the nest they shouldn't bother you.
I find this works well and doesn't destroy important insects in the garden.

So what's the problem with an ants' nest near the pond?

Jim

We do something similar on our allotment. We are organic so dont use any chemicals, but have loads of ants. Instead we sprinkle a mix of icing sugar and bicarb. Apparently the ants take this and feed it to the queen.

Not sure of the exact science of it, but it does seem to work.

[Jim Ford]

Hmm, my posting referred to _discouraging_ ants. I'm not sure we should be discussing _destroying_ such an important part of the ecosystem!

Jim